Moving On a Monk and Natalie romance one shot
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: When Natalie chatazises Monk for his insensitivity and accuses him of being a hypocrite he is determined to prove to her that he's not a hypocrite but when she challenges him to kiss her he freaks out. Will he do it? Will Natalie be his new girl? r n r


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the orginal character in the show. I don't own Monk. You know that because Trudy is dead.

* * *

"It's always about the widows," Monk said frustrated, "why can't they just move on already"  
Natalie stared at him a mixture of disgust and disbelief on her face. She could not believe Adrian Monk of all people would have the nerve to say something like that.  
"Move on? Did you just say they should just move on already. I cannot believe you of all people would have the unmitagated nerve to say that"  
"What? What's so nervy about what I said"  
"You talk about moving on but you still live in the past"  
"Li- I am not living in the past"  
"Mr. Monk it's like you're as dead as Trudy is. The only difference is that you're breathing when you remember how to"  
"THAT was not called for Natalie," Monk said quitly tears spilling from his eyes.  
"Well maybe it wasn't called for," Natalie agreed, "but I think what you said wasn't called for either. They should just move on? You move on first and then you tell them to move on"  
"I have moved on," Monk suggested  
"Oh yeah. Prove it"  
"What?"  
"You heard me. I said prove it"  
Monk shrugged.  
"How can I prove it?"  
"Kiss me," Natalie answered  
"WHAT!"  
"If you've moved on you won't have any trouble kissing me"  
"Here's the thing," Monk said hemming a little, "I don't really do the kissing thing"  
"Excuse me," Natalie said, "I'll be right back"  
"Natalie… where are you going?"  
"I'm going to get something to show you"  
Natalie came back a couple of minutes later with the wedding book of Monk and Trudy.  
"What does that look like," she asked him  
"Here's the thing," he said, "I don't think it's the same thing"  
"Well of course it's not the same thing," Natalie said exasperated  
Monk was quiet for a minute.  
"Look Mr. Monk I can never and never would want to replace Trudy anymore then you would ever or ever would want to replace Mitch. That's not the point. The point is that we have each other now. I hate to say this because you're the most IRRATATING man I know but I like you. I really like you… in fact somewhere along the line I think I fell in love with you"  
"You **what**?"  
"I don't like it," Natalie said, "but I feel it"  
"Here's the thing," Monk told her, "I haven't kissed anyone in 8 years"  
"I haven't kissed anyone in awhile either"  
"H-here's the thing. I would feel like I'm betraying Trudy"  
"Here's the thing Mr. Monk," Natalie said, "she's **dead**"  
"Stop insulting her," Monk said frustrated  
"I'm not insulting her," Natalie replied, "I am simply stating a fact. It's a fact I wish and I know you wish was fiction but it's a fact none the less"  
"If it weren't for me-"  
"GOD Mr. Monk do I have to tell you what you told 'the nasty man'?"  
"What did I tell 'the nasty man?"  
"Pity, party of one your table's ready"  
Monk chuckled a little remembering that.  
"I did say that, didn't I"  
"Yes. I thought that was a great line actually"  
"H-here's the thing," Monk said, "why do you even like me in the first place"  
"Why," Natalie repeated  
"That's the question"  
"I like you for a lot of reasons not the least of which being the fact that you are an amazing friend to me"  
"Wait. You think I'm an amazing friend"  
"Three words. The Julie Incident"  
"Okay," Monk acknowledged, "I have to admit that was pretty cool on my part"  
"Pretty cool? Mr. Monk that was incredable. Nobody else would have done something like that"  
"I can't be involved with you," Monk said, "if I was you'd end up dead. "If I had done what I was supposed to do they wouldn't have been able to get to her"  
"STOP THAT," Natalie yelled, "FOR THE LOVE OF FURRY KITTENS WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED WASN'T YOUR FAULT?"  
"For the love of furry kittens," Monk asked smiling  
"Mr. Monk apparentally 'they' were determined to get to her. Even if you had done what you were supposed to do it couldn't have stayed like that forever. They would have gotten her sooner or later"  
"They wouldn't have if I had caught them first," Monk said, "ergo-"  
"Ergo nothing," Natalie argued, "remember what you told Julie"  
"I told Julie a lot of things," Monk shot back, "how about being a little more specific.  
"You told her that if someone was determined to do something they would do it whether or not they have the obsticles in the way. They would find ways around the obsicles."  
"I did say that, didn't I?"  
"Yes. You did say that and you were right"  
"I just… I don't even remember what we were talking about"  
"We were talking about how you should kiss me"  
"H-here's the thing. Sometimes everything isn't what it seems. I mean you know that"  
"Here's the thing," Natalie came right back, "if everything isn't what it seems that's okay. Sometimes change can be good"  
"Not in my experiences it can't"  
"Mr. Monk you have to be flexable. Look, take what happened last year for example. If it had been the way I thought it was what would you have done"  
"What?"  
"What would you have done if it had been the way I thought it was?"  
"What would I have done?"  
"Yes"  
"I don't know Natalie. My mind was a whirl. I was so confused I didn't even know what shirt to put on let alone what I would have done"  
"Do you think you'd have protected her or would you have let them do what they had to do?"  
"Which brings us back to **I don't know**!"  
"Yes you do know," Natalie replied, "would you have still loved her"  
"Of course. It wasn't a question of love"  
"Exactally," Natalie said, "and neither is this. I don't know why I love you. Heck I don't even know why you irratate me sometimes. But I know that I love you"  
"Which brings us back to what's the point"  
"The point is it's time to move on. She knows that you'll never stop loving her. But what do you think it's doing to her, knowing that you're not living"  
"Fine," Monk said, "I guess you're right"  
"I know I'm right," Natalie argued back  
"Fine you're right," Monk said, "but here's the thing-"  
Natalie shut him up with a kiss.  
"Wow," he said  
"Yeah… wow"  
"That was nice"  
"Yeah," Natalie said, "it really was nice"  
"I just feel like I shouldn't be doing this"  
"Mr. Monk," Natalie said, "you aren't betraying her"  
"For better, for worst… in sickness and in health…for richer for pourer-"  
"Untill death do us part," Natalie interupted, "and even death will never part you two."  
"See?"  
"She'll always be in your heart and you'll see her again in heaven. You and her will be together again in heaven. But… Mr. Monk you need to do what you said the widows should do. You need to move on"  
_She's right Adrian, _he heard Trudy's voice, _we'll only be apart for a while but you need to stop punishing yourself. I love you and I'll see you again._  
Reluctantally Monk pulled Natalie into his arms and kissed her.  
"This is only until heaven," he told her  
She laughed.  
"Yes," she said, "only until heaven"  
"This is nice though"


End file.
